The Winged Dare [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Two

3:00 PM

"Holy mother of pearl," Heath whispered as he stepped into the cabin. 

Clawd followed, holding his hand up to his nose. "Well... looks like we found where they were killed,"  he said quietly. 

"We should call forensics, yeah? Or at least Lucas," Heath said. 

Clawd nodded. As he grabbed his phone, it rang. "Yeah?" 

"What's the verdict? Did you find anything?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah... This is where they were killed." 

"Great. 'Cause we have another body."

3:45 PM

"So?" Heath asked.

"Mindy Whitbend. She lives here with her parents," Lucas said as he watched Heath and Clawd pull on a pair of gloves. 

"How'd she die?" Clawd asked. 

"Sunshot to the heart. She's a fallen angel. Sunshots are the only thing that can kill them," Lucas said. 

"Suspects?" Heath asked.

"Suicide," Lucas asked. He gestured for the officers to follow him. Once they were standing in the kitchen, he tapped his finger against a piece of paper on the table.

" 'I couldn't take the guilt any longer. I killed seven people. Johnny Spirit helped me kill Tina Bedding. I'm sorry.' " Heath read aloud. He frowned. "She couldn't have known that we were getting close to finding out who she was." 

"So why would she kill 'erself?" Clawd asked. 

"Guilt," Lucas said. 

"Where is she?" Clawd asked. 

"That's the thing about sunshots, Clawd. They leave no trace of the actual angel. All that's left is a dust-like coating where they were slain," Lucas said. He patted Clawd and Heath on the back. "Case closed."

5:00 PM

"I don't know, Heath. Somethin' just ain't sittin' right," Clawd said. 

Heath shrugged as he shoved a fry into his mouth. "Case closed. You heard Lucas say that. He's the boss," he said. 

"But that don't make 'im right," Clawd said. "I called the coroner's office. She's runnin' a test on the weapons we found in that cabin," he said.  

"What kind of test?" Heath asked. 

"Fingerprints." 

"What's the point?" Heath asked. 

"Because a damn suicide note proves nothin'. You can force someone ta write a note. You can write a suicide note for someone that you killed. People've done it before. Nothin' stops 'em from doin' it again," Clawd said. 

"You think she's being framed?" Heath asked. 

Clawd nodded. "That I do." 

"You know, if you're right, you're going to be, like, famous," Heath said. "Will you let me steal half of you limelight?" he asked. 

Clawd chuckled and stole a fry from Heath's plate. "Sure thing, partner."

8:30 PM

"Mommy?" Kaylee asked.

"Yeah?" 

"When do we see Daddy?" she asked. 

Laura sighed. "Not for a while. He's busy," she said. "Too busy for us right now." 

"But we can see him soon?" 

"Sure."

"Tomorrow?" Kaylee asked. 

"Wouldn't count on it," Laura said. 

"When?"

Laura rubbed at her stomach and closed her eyes. "July."